The Scottish Rite Valley of Chicago recently opened a $20 million facility in Bloomingdale that includes a Masonic lodge room, a performance theater, a banquet hall, an art museum and library and a members lounge. The buildings main foyer offers a view of a mosaic depicting the Scottish Rite emblem.
Daniel White/dwhite@dailyherald.com
The 4,000 members of the Scottish Rite Valley of Chicago have a new home — a $20 million, 61,000-square-foot facility in Bloomingdale that’s part meeting space, part banquet hall and part museum.
The organization hosted a grand opening March 17 attended by about 300 people, enough to fill the building’s performance theater, said Paul Scheeler of the Valley of Chicago.
Visitors watched a ceremonial dedication in which corn, oil and wine were poured over a model of King Solomon’s temple, after which all Masonic buildings are modeled, Scheeler said.
They also got to browse the murals, mosaics and paintings throughout the building, especially its art museum and library.
“A lot of the works of art have moral themes,” Scheeler said, emphasizing the Masonic virtues of brotherly love, relief and truth.
Terry L. Seward, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Illinois, second from right, performs a ceremonial dedication March 17 at the Scottish Rite Valley of Chicagos new facility in Bloomingdale. The ceremony involved pouring corn, oil and wine over a model of King Solomons temple, after which all Masonic facilities are modeled.
Daniel White/dwhite@dailyherald.com
A mosaic of the Scottish Rite emblem is on prominent display in the main foyer of the Valley of Chicagos new lodge in Bloomingdale. The $20 million facility hosted a grand opening March 17.
Daniel White/dwhite@dailyherald.com
The Masonic Lodge room is one of several meeting spaces within the Scottish Rite Valley of Chicagos new $20 million building in Bloomingdale.
Daniel White/dwhite@dailyherald.com
Paul Scheeler points out artwork inside the Scottish Rite Valley of Chicagos new facility in Bloomingdale. The building has an art museum and library as well as a Masonic Lodge room, a theater and a banquet hall. At left is representation artwork of King Solomons temple, after which all Masonic facilities are modeled.
Daniel White/dwhite@dailyherald.com